Maggie Fisher MRCVS, the parasitologist and chairman of ESCCAP (European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites), has highlighted studies which demonstrate an association between the common parasite, Toxocara spp. and human disease, and has called on the profession to help reduce the damaging and widespread effects of this parasite.

Maggie says that many in the profession may not be aware that Toxocara eggs aren't actually infective when they are first passed in an animal's stools, sometimes taking weeks to develop to this stage. Eggs persist long after pet waste has naturally washed away too, so the risk of infection still exists even in environments that appear to be clean and safe. Interestingly, there seems to be only a very loose (and according to some studies, entirely absent) link between owning a pet and an increased risk of human Toxocara infection, suggesting that most infections are acquired from the environment^1,2 . Education of pet owners about responsible pet ownership, including appropriate worming and picking up their dog's waste quickly is essential to reduce this environmental infection risk.

The parasite's larval stages cause disease in humans as they migrate through body tissues, with retinal damage a previously well identified consequence. However, Maggie has identified studies which suggest a whole range of common conditions that may also be attributable to Toxocara infection. One study³ included 425 children displaying signs of a persistent cough and 1600 asymptomatic children as controls. Blood tests confirmed that a statistically significant 32% of the symptomatic group were positive for Toxocara antibodies, compared to just 17% of the asymptomatic control group. What's more, when given a week's course of an appropriate anthelmintic, the vast majority of symptomatic children had a greatly reduced and frequently absent requirement for inhaled corticosteroids to control their symptoms when re-examined by the study team a year later.

Numerous other studies from around the world have shown similar strong associations with asthma, allergies and epilepsy. One nationally representative US study even showed an alarming association with Toxocara infection and reduced cognitive function in children² . Those that were positive for antibodies to the parasite on blood tests (proving prior exposure) scored significantly lower on tests assessing verbal and manual dexterity as well as maths and reading abilities² .

So, what should veterinary staff and SQPs be telling clients? Maggie says you should be advising pet owners to worm pets regularly (at least four times a year) with an effective anthelmintic from an appropriately young age (2 weeks of age for puppies and 3 weeks of age for kittens, because transfer of the parasite to puppies before birth and to kittens via milk is a feature of the parasite lifecycle). Reducing pets' access to raw food and hunting activities can also help. This is in addition to more general recommendations including cooking food well and making sure children wash their hands before eating.

Maggie said: "Vets, nurses and SQPs are perfectly placed to make sure that pet owners are aware of the risks and take precautions to protect themselves and the wider general public."

For further information about effective control of Toxocara and a wide range of other companion animal parasites, visit www.esccapuk.org.uk. To view all the presentations from the 'Everyday Parasites' CPD day, visit www.esccapuk-cpd.co.uk.

References:

1. Taylor, M.R., 2006. Ocular Toxocariasis. In: Toxocara, the enigmatic parasite. Holland, C.V., Smith, H.V., Eds. CABI Publishing, Ch. 9, 127-144.
2. 2. 3^rd US National Health and Nutrition Survey Walsh, M.G., 2010. Toxocara infection and diminished lung function in a nationally representative sample from the United Sates population. Int J Parasitol.41(2):243-7
   Walsh, M.G., Haseeb, M.A., 2012. Reduced cognitive function in children with toxocariasis in a nationally representative sample of the United States. Int. J. Parasitol. 42, 1159-1163
3. Bede, O., Szénási, Z., Danka, J., Gyurkovits, K., Nagy, D., 2008. Toxocariasis associated with chronic cough in childhood: a longitudinal study in Hungary. J. Helminthol. 82, 357 - 63.

A Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons audit panel is to visit UK veterinary schools to assess how Extra-Mural Studies (EMS) is being carried out, identify good practice and make recommendations for improvement. The exercise is part of a package of measures which aims to improve the way that EMS helps veterinary undergraduates to gain skills and knowledge in a practice environment.

RCVS Council agreed to the implementation of proposals made by a Working Party set up to review the whole EMS process in November 2009. While the EMS system was largely agreed to be valuable and working well, some areas were identified for improvement. Many of the recommendations centred on a better understanding amongst all parties involved - students, practices and vet schools - of the aims and objectives of EMS for the student, and improved communication about expectations and outcomes.

As a first step, the Education Policy and Specialisation Committee has put in place an audit of EMS at the veterinary schools. It has commissioned Dr Barry Johnson, who led the original Working Party, together with practitioners David Black, David Wadsworth and Dr Chris Chesney, to follow through individual cases, talking to the students, practitioners and clinical tutors and EMS co-ordinators at the vet schools, to build a picture of how administration, communication and follow-up is managed.

Barry said: "The objective of the audit is to identify areas of good practice that can be shared, and identify where improvements could be made - it will also promote dialogue between practices and the schools. The exercise will be repeated over the next couple of years to track changes."

The first audit took place at the Royal Veterinary College in February, as part of the full RCVS visitation of the undergraduate degree programme. The EMS audit panel will report its initial findings in June.

The full report and recommendations from the EMS Working Party can be viewed at www.rcvs.org.uk/EMS.

From the start of next month, RCVS will be introducing a streamlined new concerns investigation process, with cases being considered by Preliminary Investigation Committees from the outset.

Under the previous system, complaints made about a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse would, at Stage One, be considered by a Case Examiner Group (CEG) which would determine if there was an arguable case of serious professional misconduct.

If the CEG found there was an arguable case, it would then refer it to Stage Two of the process for consideration by the Preliminary Investigation Committee.

The CEG stage of the process has now been replaced by Stage One Preliminary Investigation Committees which, rather than using the ‘arguable case’ threshold, will consider from the outset whether there is a realistic prospect that the alleged conduct constitutes serious professional misconduct and that there is sufficient evidence.

The new Stage One Preliminary Investigation Committees will comprise members of the professions and lay people, and will be assisted in their investigations by an RCVS Case Manager who will also be the first point of contact for those raising concerns, witnesses and respondents in the case.

Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Director of Legal Services, said: “By keeping to one consistent threshold for serious professional misconduct throughout the concerns investigation process, we hope that these changes will help to simplify our investigations while still ensuring that the process remains robust and thorough.

"We also hope that, in time and when the changes are fully bedded in, we may also see a swifter resolution to some cases, as concerns that may previously been referred on to Stage Two of the process can now be closed at Stage One.”

If a Stage One Preliminary Investigation Committee cannot close a case it will refer it on to a Stage Two Preliminary Investigation Committee.

This will gather additional information and evidence and then determine if there is a realistic prospect of finding serious professional misconduct and if it is in the public interest for the case to go to Stage Three - a full, public Disciplinary Committee hearing.

Eleanor added: “The introduction of these new stages is the first step in the programme of reform of our concerns investigation and disciplinary processes.

"Next year we will be looking to introduce our Charter Case Protocol which will be a way of resolving some less serious cases of alleged misconduct where it would not necessarily be in the public interest to hold a full Disciplinary Committee hearing.”

www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns

Longbridge-based Blaise Veterinary Referral Hospital is to host its first CPD event: a day focusing on the liver, on Wednesday 13th September 2023 at Herbert's Yard.

The sessions will be delivered by Andrew Kent, clinical director at Blaise and a small animal internal medicine specialist, Lara Dempsey, head of soft tissue surgery, Jacques Ferrerira, head of anaesthesia, Mike Farrell, head of orthopaedic surgery, and neurology clinician, Emma Suiter (pictured).

The talks will cover:

• Diagnostic approach to liver disease (including liver biopsies)
• Gall bladder mucocoeles
• How should we help pet owners understand complex problems?
• Pain management in patients with liver disease (and other chronic diseases)
• Metabolic causes of seizures
• Portosystemic shunts - the medic, the surgeon, the anaesthetist and the neurologist
• The orthopaedic surgeon’s approach to liver disease.

Client communication will also be covered, together with some orthopaedics for those with an interest in that area.

Andy said: “We’re building an incredible team at Blaise and are very excited at the prospect of sharing the specialist knowledge that our clinicians have with our wider veterinary community.

"Treating liver conditions can be incredibly complex and our educational programme presents an unrivalled opportunity to deep dive into this part of an animal’s body and how best to approach it.”

Tickets are available for £48 from https://www.ivcevidensiareferrals.com/Delivering-the-Best, with all profits going to the charity StreetVet.

Blaise Veterinary Referral Hospital in Longbridge is IVC’s first purpose-built pet hospital and will be open to accept referral patients from November 2023.

www.blaise-referrals.com

http://herbertsyard.com 

Zoetis, formerly Pfizer Animal Health, has launched Flexi4, a nutritional supplement for horses containing a patented combination of natural plant extracts designed to help maintain joint flexibility and the management of joint pain.

Flexi4 contains a blend of four plant extracts, Curcumin, Yucca schidigera, Salix alba and Boswellia serrata, which the company says have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic and analgesic properties as follows:

• Curcumin, an extract from the roots of the herb Curcuma longa, has been shown to down-regulate inflammatory pathways and inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines.¹ It has also been shown to reduce the release of GAGs from the cartilage matrix.²
• Yucca schidigera is a botanical extract containing saponins that suppress the intestinal protozoa, which are thought to have a role in joint inflammation in some circumstances.³ The extract also contains antioxidant polyphenols, which inhibit the enzymes of the arachidonic acid cascade, thereby reducing the production of inflammatory mediators.⁴
• Salix alba is an extract of white willow bark containing salicin, polyphenols and flavonoids. These are reported to have a positive effect on chrondrocyte viability, differentiation and function⁵ as well as anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic and analgesic properties.⁶
• Boswellia serrata is the botanical extract of gum resin. Its role is to inhibit the pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators which initiate the inflammatory process⁷ and produce anti-inflammatory activity at sites of chronic inflammation.⁸

Mary King, Olympic three day eventing team silver medallist, said: "When performing at the highest level it's important that my horses' joints remain flexible and free of pain. Using Flexi4 has made them more resilient to aches and pains during intense training and I am confident when competing that my horses are feeling the benefit of this natural product, helping them to perform at their very best."

Flexi4 is an apple-flavoured gel that is fed as a once daily supplement. It doesn't contain any substances listed as prohibited by the FEI.* For more information, contact your Zoetis Account Manager, call 0845 300 8034 or email customersupportuk@zoetis.com.

References

1. Jurenka JS, AlternMed Rev. 2009 Jun.
2. Clutterbuck 2009.
   
3. Cheeke et al. Journal of Inflammation 2006.
   
4. Wenzig et al. Agric Food Chem. 2008.
   
5. Shakibaei 2012 Evidence-based Complementary and alternative Medicine volume 2012, article ID 509383.
6. Nahrstedt et al. Wien Med Wochenschr. 2007.
   
7. Gayathri et al. Int Immunopharmacol. 2007 Apr.
8. Siddiqui, Indian J Pharm Sci. 2011 May-Jun.

*FEI prohibited substance list, 2013

A recent survey of nurses attending Hill's nurse roadshows has identified that just over 20 per cent of nurses pay for their own CPD. Although no claims have been made regarding how representative the sample is of the general nursing population, the survey by Hill's Pet Nutrition mirrors the results of a recent RVCS survey.

Adrian Pratt, Veterinary Affairs Manager at Hill's said: "It comes as no great surprise to find that nurses are so dedicated to doing a good job that they will even fund their learning themselves and it's great that round 80 per cent are having their CPD paid for. It is a little depressing to find that some of the practices they work in are unable to support nurses in their efforts, perhaps because of the economic situation. We launched our Veterinary Nutrition Academy with the aim of offering easy to access CPD, free or at very low cost. Practice members can register free and I'd really encourage practice principals and practice managers to take a look at www.myhillspet.com/vna to see how much is available for negligible or very little expenditure. The credit crunch is affecting lots of people and practices but if we can use any down time available to improve skills and knowledge, that has got to be a healthy response."

Bonny Millar, President of the BVNA said: "Some employers may still be unaware that CPD is now compulsory for the RVN but a recent RCVS ‘Survey of the Veterinary Nursing Profession 2008', found that qualified VNs were not finding it difficult to meet the required 45 hours of CPD over 3 years. Those who took part in the survey said that they averaged just over 3 days in the last 12 months, with 84% of those surveyed saying all or most was paid for by the employer. As there is no obligation for the employer to pay for CPD, it is good to know that so many are doing so but it is also important that nurses can demonstrate that any newly gained knowledge will be used to provide a better service to their patients and practice."

This was a view echoed by Sarah Hibbert, President of VPMA: "It would seem logical that relevant CPD which has a benefit to both the practice and individual should be considered in a structured fashion and in light of these findings it would be appropriate for practices revisit their CPD policies to ensure they are fair and reasonable to all parties concerned."

The Hill's survey also showed that just under 30 per cent of nurses have their own CPD allowance provided by the practice. This suggests that about half of the nurses in the UK are to a large extent basing their CPD on self-directed learning. One of the champions of self-directed learning, Malcolm Knowles, defines it as a process ‘... in which individuals take the initiative, with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning goals, identifying human and material resources for learning, choosing and implementing appropriate learning strategies, and evaluating learning outcomes.'

According to Adrian this could signal a positive step forwards, "On one hand self directed learners have been shown to be more proactive about learning, more motivated and more likely to retain and use what they do learn. However, there is a danger that a practice could be left with gaps in knowledge or skills unless there is some active intervention in the form of a review or guidance regarding the individual's particular training needs, those of the practice team as a whole and the appropriateness of individual courses. Those practices that allocate training allowances are to be congratulated on being forward thinking but it is worth remembering that conferring a training allowance does not involve abrogating responsibility for providing support, guidance and encouragement. We have taken care to introduce incentives for completion of Hill's VNA courses, not because we think that nurses need to be motivated by extrinsic rewards but because we should celebrate those who work hard to become better nurses."

Bayer Animal Health has announced the launch of, Dinalgen (ketoprofen), an NSAID injection approved for use in cattle, pigs and horses.

Dinalgen is available as a 150mg/ml Solution for Injection, and Bayer says the more concentrated format allows the product to provide the smallest dose, fast relief NSAID currently available for cattle in the UK.

In cattle, Dinalgen is licensed for the reduction of inflammation and pain associated with lameness, post-partum, and musculoskeletal disorders; the reduction of fever associated with bovine respiratory disease; and the reduction of inflammation, fever and pain in acute clinical mastitis in combination with antimicrobial therapy where appropriate. The withdrawal period for milk is zero hours and for meat two days.

In pigs, Dinalgen is licensed for the reduction of pyrexia in cases of respiratory disease and postpartum dysgalactia syndrome in sows, in combination with antimicrobial therapy.

In horses, Dinalgen is licensed for the reduction of inflammation and pain associated with osteoarticular and musculoskeletal disorders, including lameness, laminitis, osteoarthritis, synovitis, and tendinitis. It also aids the reduction of visceral pain associated with colic.

Sharon Cooksey, MRCVS, FAP group product manager at Bayer, said: “We are excited to have this new addition to our portfolio. It is a good fit with our existing products.

"A recent field study*, carried out by Nottingham university, has shown that NSAID (ketoprofen) treatment maximises the chance of recovery from lameness in dairy cattle. Lameness remains one of the “big three” issues in dairy practice so maybe it is time we moved on from hoof blocks and/ or trimming in isolation and onto a more multi-layer approach. We have some great support tools in the pipeline to help both vets and farmers recognise and manage animals at risk for lameness.”

For further product information visit www.noahcompendium.co.uk  or contact your local Bayer territory manager.

MSD Animal Health has announced the launch of the "Time for Change" Preventative Healthcare Challenge, designed to place preventative healthcare at the heart of practices’ daily activities. 

The company says the challenge has been developed on the basis of recent research which found that despite 74% of vet-visiting pet owners believing in the value of preventative healthcare, more than half of active pet owners currently don’t see the vet as their primary source of information regarding pet health. Furthermore, those pet owners that fail to return for an annual preventative health consultation often cited their pet being healthy as the main reason.

The new scheme focuses on driving client compliance and footfall by developing the partnership between the vet and pet owner. MSD says it takes a more holistic approach to the relationship, focusing on the vet practice as the primary source of advice and information on all aspects of pet healthcare and wellbeing, whether the pet is healthy or sick.

Practices that register with their MSD Animal Health account manager will receive a toolkit to support their whole team in positioning the practice as a centre for expertise on preventative healthcare and wellbeing. 

Caroline Darouj, Nobivac Brand Manager at MSD Animal Health said: :This Challenge is a step-change in terms of our work with vets and support for the practice-pet owner partnership. We are focusing on encouraging communications that highlight the value of the preventative healthcare visit going beyond the obvious benefits of vaccination and parasite control. 

"We have recently heard in the news how by just having a conversation about obesity medical practitioners can be an effective catalyst for positive change with patients. It is our belief that changing the conversation and focusing on preventative health has the potential to create positive outcomes in pet health and wellbeing, as well as owner satisfaction and business outcomes."

MSD says the challenge goes beyond the important and widely recognised aspects of preventative healthcare such as vaccination, worming and ectoparasite control to embrace five principal wellbeing needs around care and companionship, feeding, the pet’s environmental, behavioural and preventative health needs. The toolkit will aim to increase the pet owner’s understanding of the value and benefit of annual preventative healthcare visits and develop the level of client engagement with practice staff.

Practices interested in further details should contact their MSD Animal Health Account Manager or call MSD Animal Health on +44 (0) 1908 685 556.

BSAVA has launched its Postgraduate Certificate website.

The site contains all of the online materials and activities which support the BSAVA postgraduate certificates. The BSAVA says students enrolled on the programmes will find it invaluable.

There are also sections of the site  for those who have agreed to act as mentors for students enrolled on the programme, and exclusive material for BSAVA members who missed out on enrolment in 2012, but have pre-enrolled for 2013.

The BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate website may be found via the CPD section at http://www.bsava.com/ (direct link http://www.bsavaeducation.co.uk/). If you would like to know more about the BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate programmes, please email certificate@bsava.com.

The BSAVA has opened registration for its 2021 Congress, which is to be held online next year, from 25th –27th March.

The event will deliver more than 130 hours of CPD, including a programme of five simultaneous live streams each day. Delegates will also have opportunities to network and socialise - with peers, colleagues and experts in chat rooms and breakout sessions, and with industry partners - such as event sponsor Hill’s Pet Nutrition - in the online exhibition hall.

Live content will be delivered via 24 content modules and a library of 100 on-demand webinars will support the 80 hours of live programming. Scientific content will be available on the platform for 30 days and then available to attendees via the BSAVA library.

For the first time nursing, clinical and business topics will be blended into modules from which delegates can select the content they need.

Professor Ian Ramsey, President of the BSAVA, said: "On the clinical side, we’re covering everything from chronic pain and neurology to cardiology and orthopaedics – whatever your interests, there will be something for you."

“Most sessions in the live programme will feature two speakers, each delivering short presentations followed by a live, audience-led conversation. This new approach means delegates can explore the multi-faceted disciplines of the small animal veterinary world and see the clinical challenges from different points of view and, most importantly, join in.

“Pre-recorded webinars support the live programme, enabling delegates to dip in at their leisure. We’ve also swapped traditional lengthy notes or MCQs, with practical resources such as client handouts or flowcharts for delegates to take back to their clinics”.

Congress will also be covering an update on sustainability issues through the module titled, ‘can the profession go green?’ On the practical business front, recruitment and retention will be discussed and keynote speaker Jenny Campbell, a former Dragon on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, will be sharing her experiences as an entrepreneur and business leader.

BSAVA Congress prices start at £99 +VAT. To register, visit www.bsavaevents.com

Eight vet students have been recognised for their exceptional work with the Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health Connect Bursary Awards, designed to provide financial assistance for students for elective research during their college years. Three main awards were made for projects focussing on laterality in dogs, stallion semen preservation, and developing a better understanding of wobbler syndrome in horses.

Charlotte Cockburn from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and Hayley Harwood from the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies (Edinburgh) were the joint winners of the main Bursary Award, while the RVC's Holly Claridge was presented with the inaugural Equine Award.

Charlotte's research investigated tests for laterality in dogs to determine if domestic dogs show a significant paw preference and to identify a test that can be used for this purpose by veterinary practices.  The results showed a lateralisation bias in the dog population towards the left with no significant correlations between paw preference and the sex, age or breed of dog.  In addition, the initiation of gait test used in the study was the only test that gained a response from 100% of the dogs.

Hayley set out to investigate the motility of stallion spermatozoa thawed at various rates and maintained for up to 24 hours with the aim of designing a protocol for the thawing of semen that would allow cooled transported frozen-thawed semen to be used effectively.  The study showed that for total motility, thawing the straws at 72°C resulted in significantly higher motility than when compared with other treatments.

Holly's research aimed to describe the 3D anatomy of the cervical articular process joints in relation to the spinal cord and whether artificial distension of these joints, mimicking effusion, would cause the pouches of the joints to compress the spinal cord in the horse.  The study concluded that in the absence of any other soft tissue or bony changes effusion of these joints is unlikely to cause spinal cord compression.  However, given that these joints and the spinal cord are in close approximation, in the presence of other changes, an effusion may have the potential to cause compression.

While Charlotte, Hayley and Holly were the overall winners, five other students also received a Connect Bursary from Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health to fund their research.  The Bursaries were awarded to Rebecca Johnson and Sharon Brown (Glasgow), Gabrielle Laing (Liverpool), Alex Torrance (Cambridge) and Amy Gordan (Bristol).  Students were required to present their work to a judging panel from Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health, representatives from the veterinary schools and industry key opinion leaders. Two further Bursaries were also awarded to students from Nottingham.

David Hallas, General Manager at Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health said:  "Being part of the Connect Bursary is intended to give veterinary students both the freedom to explore new ground as well as providing a taste of working in industry.  The fact that we awarded a record number of Bursaries this year, elected joint winners and launched the new Equine Award is testament to the refreshingly high standard of work being undertaken by veterinary undergraduates."

Zoetis (maker of Cerenia, the anti-emetic) is using social media for its latest campaign to remind owners that vets have a solution for dogs that suffer from travel sickness.

The company highlights research which shows the problem is more common than one might think, with 62% of dogs experiencing travel sickness for the first time as puppies. What's more, 1/3rd of owners say they would travel with their dogs more often if they didn't get car sick.

Stephanie Smith, Marketing Manager for Cerenia said: "While less than half of vets in the UK report seeing at least one canine motion sickness case each month, we know that over one third (34%) of dogs that travel experience motion sickness. That's a lot of opportunity for vets to provide pets and owners with some relief."

To spread the word, the company has set up an educational microsite: www.nonstoptravelfun.co.uk which it is now promoting with an online social media campaign, including twitter #nonstoptravelfun and targeted bloggers and pet sites. The company has also been advertising the microsite on Facebook and Google, which I'm told has driven thousands of visitors over the past fortnight.

Stephanie added: "Motion sickness can impact the whole family, making travelling an unpleasant experience. Our new campaign aims to raise awareness for the issue and encourage pet owners to seek veterinary help for the problem, so they can enjoy non-stop travel fun, without the sickness."